AS Roma loans Montella to Fulham until the end of season

ROME (AP) _ AS Roma striker Vincenzo Montella signed a six-month loan deal with Premier League club Fulham on Thursday <br/><br/>The 32-year-old Montella, who is in his eighth season with Roma and has

Thursday, January 4th 2007, 10:12 am

By: News On 6

ROME (AP) _ AS Roma striker Vincenzo Montella signed a six-month loan deal with Premier League club Fulham on Thursday

The 32-year-old Montella, who is in his eighth season with Roma and has won the Serie A in 2000-01, has scored 137 goals in the Italian first division _ second to Enrico Chiesa (138) among active players.

``In July, we'll be together again. It was a very tough choice,'' Montella told Roma's TV channel. ``I like to play and competition is very important for me. I knew I wasn't playing here and so, together with the club, we found a solution. This isn't a goodbye, though.''

Montella is under contract with Roma through 2010, but has had trouble gaining playing time after a series of injuries over the past few seasons.

Valencia striker Francesco Tavano was undergoing medical tests in Rome before being introduced as Montella's replacement, the ANSA news agency said.

``I am delighted that we have been able to bring in a player of Vincenzo's quality to assist us with the latter half of this season's campaign,'' Fulham manager Chris Coleman said.

``His qualities as a player are widely recognised, and his motivation to join Fulham is based purely on his desire to play football and to score goals for us.''

Also Thursday, United States midfielder Clint Dempsey, the U.S. player of the year, passed a medical at Craven Cottage and awaits the outcome of a British work permit application next week.